Chile's New Conservative Presidency Sparks Fears for Women's Rights

The inauguration of José Antonio Kast as Chile's president marks a significant conservative shift in the nation's political landscape, raising profound concerns among women's rights advocates. As the most conservative leader since the Pinochet dictatorship prepares to take office, activists are bracing for potential rollbacks on hard-won reproductive rights and gender equality measures. Kast's three-decade political career has been characterized by consistent opposition to progressive women's rights legislation, setting the stage for what many fear could be a challenging period for gender equality in Chile.

Kast's Conservative Record on Women's Rights

José Antonio Kast's political positions on women's rights have remained consistently conservative throughout his career. As a congressman, he voted against legalizing divorce in 2004 when Chile became one of the last countries in the world to permit marital dissolution. His opposition to reproductive rights has been particularly pronounced, with Kast vehemently opposing the 2017 legislation that legalized abortion under three limited exceptions: rape, when the mother's life is in danger, or when the fetus is unviable. Since that legislation passed, Kast has actively pushed for a return to a total abortion ban and has advocated for requiring parental consent for the morning-after pill.

Kast's conservative views are deeply rooted in his political philosophy and family background. The son of a Nazi party member, Kast has been an unapologetic supporter of Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship and upholds much of the regime's antiquated values regarding society and patriarchal family structures. This ideological foundation places him at odds with the feminist and LGBTQ+ rights movements that have gained significant momentum across Latin America in recent years, including the "green wave" that successfully pushed for free abortion rights in Argentina, Colombia, and several Mexican states.

Appointments and Policy Directions

The appointment of Judith Marín as women and gender equality minister has particularly alarmed women's rights advocates. At just 30 years old, Marín is an evangelical anti-abortion activist who made headlines in 2017 when she disrupted a senate session on abortion decriminalization, shouting "return to the lord" while being forcibly ejected by police. Her appointment signals Kast's commitment to implementing his conservative agenda through key government positions.

Kast was a founding member of the Republican party, whose members announced plans in 2023 to repeal Chile's current abortion law. While his presidential campaign focused primarily on immigration and security issues, Kast has explicitly stated that his stance on abortion has not changed. According to Andrea Álvarez Carimoney, assistant professor in public health at the University of Chile, this creates a concerning situation: "It's very provocative, because this person – whose opinions were once considered marginal – is now going to be the one who holds power."

Potential Impacts on Reproductive Rights

Even without sufficient congressional backing to completely abolish the current abortion law, the Kast administration could significantly restrict access through administrative measures. Álvarez explains that the government could modify the implementation of the three legal exceptions to make access more complex and difficult. Government statistics indicate that approximately 7,000 legal abortions have taken place since the three-exceptions clause was introduced in 2017, but studies estimate that more than 100,000 induced abortions occur annually in Chile, highlighting the significant gap between legal access and actual need.

The historical context of abortion in Chile adds complexity to the current situation. The country allowed abortion for medical reasons from the 1930s until General Augusto Pinochet issued a total ban in 1989 as one of his final decrees. The 2017 legislation represented a partial reversal of this ban, but access remains limited compared to the needs of Chilean women.

Feminist Movement Resilience

Despite the conservative shift in government, Chile's feminist movement remains a powerful force. The annual International Women's Day march in March 2026 drew an estimated 500,000 participants to the streets of Santiago, demonstrating the persistent strength of organized feminism in Chile. The movement previously brought hundreds of thousands of women into the streets and was a major driving force behind the 2022 effort to rewrite the country's Pinochet-era constitution.

The proposed 2022 constitutional draft would have enshrined abortion as a constitutional right alongside equal participation quotas for women in public institutions. However, it was criticized as unnecessarily complicated and far-reaching, leading to its rejection by voters. A second attempt to rewrite the constitution in 2023, led by Kast's Republican party, similarly failed due to its explicit partisan bias.

Grassroots organizations continue to provide support despite political challenges. The abortion network Con las Amigas y En La Casa, which has multiple chapters across Chile, provides vetted information on the safe use of medication for those facing unwanted pregnancies. Despite having their social media channels repeatedly blocked following complaints by anti-abortion campaigners, the group has existed for over a decade and has amassed nearly 170,000 Instagram followers. As one member stated: "Women are having abortions right now, they will be doing it tomorrow, and they will keep doing it – no rightwing government will stop that. Kast is very dangerous, but we know that women in Chile are strong and organized."

Political Context and Challenges

The outgoing administration of Gabriel Boric, which labeled itself as "feminist," has faced criticism from some activists for delaying the presentation of a free abortion bill, which only entered congress in 2025. According to Vesna Madariaga, a spokesperson for the Coordinadora Feminista 8M, one of Chile's largest feminist organizations: "Boric campaigned on reproductive rights and our autonomy to decide, but introduced the bill too late and without enough momentum to push it through in the parliamentary debate."

Outgoing women and gender minister Antonia Orellana defended her government's actions, noting that their priority had been improving conditions for those requiring abortion under the three-exceptions rule. This included developing an inspection manual for health professionals to ensure compliance and issuing fines to any medical worker or institution violating the rights of those seeking abortions. Orellana also pointed to legislative challenges: "We have a legislative minority. Where do we move forward?" She noted that public approval for the wider abortion bill had reached record highs during their administration, reflecting changing social attitudes despite political obstacles.

Conclusion: Navigating a Conservative Era

The inauguration of José Antonio Kast represents a significant challenge for women's rights in Chile, particularly regarding reproductive freedom. His consistent opposition to progressive legislation and appointment of anti-abortion officials suggests a difficult period ahead for gender equality advocates. However, the resilience of Chile's feminist movement, demonstrated through massive street mobilizations and persistent grassroots organizing, indicates that women's rights will remain a central and contested issue in Chilean politics.

The coming years will test both the government's ability to implement its conservative agenda and the feminist movement's capacity to protect hard-won rights. As Latin America continues to experience both progressive "green waves" and conservative backlashes, Chile's experience under Kast's presidency will provide important insights into the ongoing struggle for reproductive rights in the region. The determination expressed by activists—that women will continue to seek abortions regardless of legal restrictions—underscores the fundamental disconnect between political ideology and women's lived realities that will likely define this political era.